A Life In Philadelphia

Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 6

2010-11-13T17:10:00.000-08:00

It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia Season 6 - FX's original comedy series It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is back for a 6th season, (starting this Fall) and that can only mean more antics from everyone's favorite bar owners!

This year the stakes are higher, and so is the definition as they've made the switch to High Definition! Watch them take on issues like gay marriage, the class war, watch them battle the high seas on a houseboat, bash rats, deal with a mysterious pregnancy and much more that you'll simply have to tune in to see.

more about It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

Philadelphia area restaurant.com coupons for up to 80% off!

Philadelphia area diets and new medifast coupon code

Get coupons for compatible ink with 4inkjets coupon codes

Philly Naked Bikeride

2010-01-23T06:35:00.000-08:00

The Philly Naked Bikeride: Every year hundreds of semi-clothed hippies take to the streets of Philadelphia with their self-proclaimed message "to deliver a vision of a cleaner, safer, body-positive world to the masses." On a more local level, the bikers hope to increase awareness of bicycles on the streets of Philly, where they are often unnoticed by busy drivers.

The Philly Naked Bikeride is part of the "World Naked Bikeride," or WNBR which began in 2004 having several modest goals including saving the planet. This group can best be described as a naked, ultra-liberal, diverse, non-racist, younger version of the Tea Party Movement (on bicycles).

The next Philly Naked Bikeride is scheduled for September, just in time for mid term elections.

*Note, a small gathering of bikers is set to meet up the evening before the event at Good Dog restaurant on South Street. Bikers are welcome to use a restaurant.com coupon for $10 off any $20 purchase at Good Dog.

Beautiful Philly Skyline

2009-12-03T19:18:00.000-08:00

Philadelphia!

Phillies World Series 2009?

2009-09-06T11:47:00.000-07:00

Can the World Phucking Champions repeat this year? Will Cole Hamels and Brad Lidge return to form, thereby completing an indomitable team that has destroyed other teams in their own ballparks all year?

One site on Cafepress had this t-shirt to contribute to the effort:

With a team that looks like an All Star line up, the reigning World Phucking Champions are in position to win the World Series in 2009 again. This design features a rugged Home Plate - will the Fightin' Phils lead us back home to the promised land?
Hamels, Howard, Utley, Lidge, Victorino, Rollins, Blanton:

Let's Phucking Do It Again.

What a magical moment in October last year, with a rowdy night on Broad Street to remember, and a parade to cherish. Let's go, Phillies! Again!

Cliff Lee, Superstar

2009-08-20T16:33:00.000-07:00

Cliff Lee was an excellent acquisition for the Philadelphia Phillies. I predict that he will be the World Series MVP for 2009, and that he will become the next Philadelphia sports legend.

4-0, sub-1 ERA, 2 complete games?

It won't matter if Lidge can't save games anymore. With a pitching staff that features the reigning World Series MVP and 2 CY young winners, put your money on the Phillies this year.

In the meantime, here is one of the checks in the mail coupons that someone asked for. later!

Farmers' Markets in Philadephia

2008-07-18T17:20:00.000-07:00

A collection of links, will update from time to time:

Farmers' Markets: (most of these great listings are at Farm to City, or view listings by neighborhood at Local Food Philly)

Tuesdays

South & Passyunk Farmers' Market
Off South Street just east of 5th
Organic and conventional produce; meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products from pastured animals; organic bread; cut flowers
2 to 7 pm through November 25th

Rittenhouse Farmers' Market
Walnut Street on south sidewalk west of 18th Street
Fruits and vegetables, cut flowers, and meat, eggs, and dairy products from pastured animals.
10 am to 1 pm

Wednesdays

City Hall Farmers' Market
Northwest corner of Philadelphia City Hall Plaza, 15th & JFK Blvd.
Fruits, vegetables, herbs, mushrooms, preserve, cut flowers, baked goods. City youth have stands selling vegetables they grow.
11 am to 3 pm, through November (note new hours as of 7-23)

University Square Farmers' Market
36th at Walnut Street.
Organic and conventional vegetables; tree fruit and berries; Amish canned and baked goods; dairy products; European-style baked goods.
10 am to 2 pm through November 26th
Local partner is the University of Pennsylvania.

Oakmont Market (Havertown)
Oakmont Municipal Parking Lot, Darby Road just west of Eagle Road.
Fruits and vegetables, cut flowers; pastured meat, eggs, and cheese; baked goods;
3 - 7 pm through November 26th.
Go to http://oakmontfarmersmarket.org

Fountain Farmers' Market
Passyunk and Tasker.
Fruits and vegetables, cut flowers, baked goods.
3 - 7 pm through October 24th.
Local partner is the East Passyunk Business Improvement District.

Girard & 27th Farm Stand Market
Fruits and vegetables
Wednesdays, noon - 3 pm, through October.
A Farm to City Affiliate Market; the West Girard Community Council is the local sponsor and market operator.

Thursdays

Weavers Way Farmers' Market
Carpenter Lane and Greene Street in front of High Point Cafe
Fruits, vegetables, dairy products, eggs, Amish canned and baked goods, cut flowers, seedlings, and potted plants. Weavers Way Farm at Awbury Arboretum grows crops for this market.
Thursdays, 3 to 7 pm; through October 29th.
Local sponsor is Weavers Way Co-op.

Jefferson Farmers' Market
On Chestnut Street east of 10th Street.
Fruits, vegetables, honey, meat.
Thursdays, noon to 5:30 pm; through October 29th.
Local sponsor is Jefferson Hospital.

Fridays

Roxborough Farmers' Market
Ridge Avenue at entrance to Leverington Avenue parking lot.
Fruits and vegetables, eggs, Amish canned products, baked goods, and crafts;
Fridays, 2 to 6 pm; through October 31st.

East Falls Farmers' Market
Midvale Avenue near Ridge Avenue.
Fruits and vegetables, eggs, Amish canned products, baked goods, and crafts;
Fridays, 3:30 to 7 pm; through October 26th.
Local partner is the East Falls CDC.

Saturdays

Rittenhouse Farmers' Market
Walnut Street on south sidewalk west of 18th Street.
Fruits and vegetables; meats, eggs and dairy products from pastured animals; cut flowers and plants;
Saturdays, Starting June 28th to accommodate store workers who begin work at 10, new hours are 9:30 am to 3 pm, through November 22nd.

Chestnut Hill Growers Market
Winston Road between Germantown Avenue and Mermaid Lane. Note that construction activity may result in this market changing locations.
Organic and conventional produce; meat, poultry, chicken, eggs, and dairy products from pastured animals; cut flowers; candles.
Saturdays, 9:30 am to 1:30 pm, through November 22nd.

Swarthmore Farmers' Market
In front of the Swarthmore Co-op.
Fruits and vegetables; sweet and savory organic preserves; pastured meats, dairy products, poultry, and eggs; baked goods and cheese, prepared foods by local businesses.
Saturdays, 10 am to 2 pm, through November 17th.
Local partner is the SwarthmoreTown Center Program.

The Headhouse Farmers Market, smaller market than Sunday (see below)
2nd and South St. (sponsored by The Food Trust)
10 am to 2 pm
Sundays
The Headhouse Farmers Market,
2nd and Lombard St. (sponsored by The Food Trust)
10 am to 2 pm

*****************************************************

Events:
July 19th, 2008 - 6th Annual Good Food, Good Beer, and the Rest is History, featuring local foods, local restaurants, and local breweries under the New Market shambles (I thought it was still called Headhouse Square) on 2nd and Lombard. Going tomorrow night!

*****************************************************

Blogs:
Farm to Philly - maintains an excellent list of all things fresh and local

Drexel Med and Drexel Law

2008-05-17T18:20:00.000-07:00

A most curious billboard can be found floating above Drexel University. It co-promotes the medical and law schools. It almost tries to announce "perfect together."

One professional school dedicated to teaching its students science, medicine, and healing. Another professional school dedicated to teaching its students argument, law, and adversarial process.

Here's another billboard you might see one day:

Tria Fermentation School

2008-05-08T10:01:00.001-07:00

Tria, a local wine bar, sponsors a series of classes called "Fermentation School" in which all good things fermented - namely wine, beer, and cheese - are the subject matter. I've been to 2 classes now, and had a wonderful time at both.

The first class was about Beaujolais Wine. The one I just attended was about German wines. Who knew that Riesling is considered the most noble white grape, or that German wines had such a complex classification scheme.

Basically you arrive at the 16th and Walnut classroom, listen to the most fun power point slide presentation you'll ever hear, imbibe a fair amount of alcohol (about 8-10 half-glasses total if you polish each one off), nibble on selected cheeses and fruits, and leave the place with some snobby knowledge, a desire to quit your job and buy a winery somewhere, or at least become a master sommelier. I advise walking home if you live in the city, or taking a cab.

From Tria's website:

Knowledge about wine, cheese and beer enhances one's appreciation of the good stuff. At the Tria Fermentation School, you can satiate your intellectual curiosity while drinking and eating the syllabus. We are bringing passionate winemakers, cheesemakers, brewmasters, authors and other experts from all over the world to share their knowledge.

Many classes sell out within a few hours of being posted, while others linger for weeks. If you are in the Philly area, consider signing up for their e-mailing list (right column) which will alert you to the newest scheduled classes.

Damn. I really need several lives. In one of them I'm a fine wine maker. In this one I just love to drink the stuff, and learn more about the science and craft, which admittedly makes many of us feel stupid and ignorant. From today's New York Times, a timely article states:

Meanwhile, consumers face an impenetrable swamp of winespeak: Wine Spectator recently evaluated one Argentine red as, “Dark and rich, with lots of fig bread, mocha, ganache, prune and loam notes. Stays fine-grained on the finish, with lingering sage and toast hints.”
To hack through it all, consumers embrace scores, an easy shorthand that unfortunately requires that every wine be judged on the same seemingly objective scale, regardless of the subjective nature of taste. Anybody can understand that a wine rated 90 beats an 89, right?
Yet the rating system has bred an attitude toward wine that ignores context, which is perhaps more important a consideration to the enjoyment of wine than anything else. The proverbial little red wine, so delicious in a Tuscan village with your sweetie, never tastes the same back home in New Jersey. Meanwhile, the big California cabernet, which you enjoyed so much with your work buddies at a steakhouse, ties tucked between buttons, doesn’t have that triumphant lift with a bowl of spaghetti.

I go for the $12 and under myself.

Obama's in Deep

2008-04-29T15:37:00.000-07:00

I don't see how he can pull out of this one.

Obama's first book was largely about how he came to find himself, particularly his black identity as a person of multiple backgrounds. Apparently Rev. Wright had a lot to do with that.

Reverend Wright thinks AIDS might have been cooked up by the US Gov't.

Hillary will be the nominee, perhaps with good reason. Maybe Obama should take the VP slot now.

The Holmes Brothers

2008-04-25T21:09:00.000-07:00

The above video sounds terribly grainy at times, gets cut off, and is too dark to see the drummer who's singing, but it does give a crude look at one of the greatest bands in America. The Holmes Brothers played at the Tin Angel on Friday night, and in their typical fashion put on a tremendous show. When they play Amazing Grace it's more moving than a decade of church services. If you aren't familiar with the Holmes Brothers, here's what they're all about:

Rooted in blues and gospel, The Holmes Brothers’ sound is all their own. The rhythmic foundation laid down by Sherman’s bass playing and Popsy’s drumming perfectly compliment Wendell’s hard-driving guitar solos. But even more gripping than their instrumental prowess is their amazing three-part harmony singing, mixing Wendell’s gruff and gravelly vocals with Popsy’s soaring falsetto and Sherman’s rich baritone creating a multi-layered and ornately textured sound, bringing the soul of gospel music into everything they perform.

I've had the privilege to be a fan of these artists for the past 15 years after my father took me one of their shows. They are authentic, American roots musicians, and with all the hip-hop, corporate trash out there, they represent something truly genuine and precious in the music world. They've been touring small venues and cranking out their signature sound for many years, and only recently found the wider recognition and small fame they deserve.

I can recall hearing them play at the Tin Angel 7 years ago, shortly after they did an interview with NPR which really introduced them to a whole new audience. Looks like they even have a MySpace page now, probably set up by the technophiles at their new label. You can listen to a few songs there, just click on a title or two on the right hand side.

I purchased one of their new Cd's, and they each obliged me with an autograph. Talking with them after the show, with my father in tow, I marveled at how the Holmes Brothers keep on going, and how wonderful it is to have a connection to a band over the years. The music becomes an immortal moment, recreated in dark taverns and brightly-lit stages, despite the inexorable march of time that ages us all. Their last song ended with the refrain, "God bless you, until we meet again."

Long live the Holmes Brothers.

The Winged Ox

2008-04-24T13:59:00.001-07:00

This sculpture is entitled "The Winged Ox," and resides outside of Jefferson Medical College on Walnut Street, between 10th and 11th. The winged ox turns out to be the symbol of St. Luke.

It is perched high above the sidewalk on a pillar inscribed with the names of great physicians, starting of course with Hippocrates.

You're thinking what the hell does this all mean? No fear. All shall be explained as I've learned it through google searching.

First, who was St. Luke? According to a church in Louisiana that bears his name:

St. Luke is believed to be the author of the Gospel that bears his name as well as of the Acts of the Apostles. According to Eusebius, he was probably born in Antioch, Syria of a prosperous Greek family and was trained as a physician.
His gospel is considered the most poetic and beautiful of all. He uses the best grammar and the most eloquent and correct Greek of the New Testament. He shows Jesus not as the Jewish Messiah, but as the world’s Savior and Lord. He was a man of prayer, for his gospel is pre-occupied with the power of prayer. He had a high regard for the dignity of women for they played an important part of his writings...
He is also the patron of the medical profession. He was reported to be a fine painter and is also patron of artists, painters, sculptors, craft workers and lacemakers.

So how does St. Luke get to be represented by a winged ox? That sounds kind of pagan, doesn't it? Almost like a Christmas tree.

His (St. Luke's) symbol is the ox. This may account for his also being patron of butchers. In art, Luke is represented by a winged ox because he begins his gospel with the account of the priest, Zachary, sacrificing in the temple. The ox represents Christ’s sacrifice.
Paul spoke of Luke as “the beloved physician.” Together they evangelized Greece and Rome.

The whole concept of the patron saint is quite controversial as well:

In those denominations of Christianity that believe in the intercession of saints, the patron saint of a particular group of people is a saint who has special affinity for that group and its members. Prayers by such people are considered more likely to be answered by their patron saint. Some consider it a special devotion to God by displaying humility in asking a saint for intercession rather than expecting to be answered themselves, calling to mind Job 42:8, which implies God's favour to the virtuous...
Some Protestant Christian denominations regard the belief in patron saints as latent polytheism and heresy. The belief in a patron saint for certain things is a reminder of the pagan gods and goddesses, they say, and is in their view condemned by the Bible.

So now, when you walk past a winged ox, dedicated to St. Luke's, outside a medical establishment, perched high on an inscribed pillar - you'll know what's up :)

'Choose Connor' Wins Award at Philadelphia Film Festival

2008-04-19T13:30:00.000-07:00

The only film I was able to catch at this year's Philadelphia Film Festival was Choose Connor. I saw it on the penultimate night of the festival, and was lucky enough to have the chance to meet the director, Luke Eberl, who had flown in just for the festival and screening. A young, quirky, intelligent writer and director, Eberl introduced the film and then stayed afterwards to entertain questions and host a discussion.

From the film synopsis:

When bright and precocious 15-year-old Owen Norris is selected to be the youth spokesman for local Congressman Lawrence Connor’s re-election campaign, both he and his parents are absolutely thrilled. He begins to spend his days trolling around town preaching the merits of Connor’s campaign while taking life lessons from the man himself. But as Owen begins to peel back the complex layers of his hometown government, he learns the terrifying truth about the inner workings of American politics. Eberl, merely 21 at the time of production, completed a series of undercover research operations on several campaigns before deciding he was ready to write a screenplay. The result shows a level of insight that rivals the great political drama writing of TV’s “The West Wing” and Robert Altman’s Secret Honor. This is a slow-burn political thriller of great complexity that not only rings true to life but also packs one hell of a surprising punch.

I really enjoyed the film. It was at times very uncomfortable, dealing with subjects such as the exploitation of youthful idealism, sexual deviance by men in power, and the strained family dynamics of a precocious young achiever and an out-of-work father. The film did have some humorous moments as well, and the sometimes bumpy camera action did feel natural and organic. I would certainly recommend the film.

I would also commend Luke Eberl for his confidence and abilities in both writing and directing, and in perfectly handling the withering vitriol of one angst-ridden audience member who peppered him with vicious comments in the question-and-answer session that followed the film. Remember, Philadelphia is the city that declared independence from the most powerful empire in the 1700's, and once booed Santa Claus.

The feature won "Best American Independent" film in the 2008 Philadelphia Film Festival. Here is a vertiginous YouTube video of Eberl accepting the award, and please note how well this young guy handles himself:

Family Sculpture on 18th and Market

2008-04-18T22:20:00.000-07:00

A great sculpture entitled "Family" by Timothy Duffield, between 18th and 19th, on Market Street.

I couldn't find much about this sculpture on the web, but I think it's wonderful.

The selfless heroism of the mother and father, the fragile hopes of family, the sheer joy of play, the beauty of the human form, how it all must collapse one day, but how we silently radiate in eternity.

Obama Rally in Philadelphia, April 18th, 2008

2008-04-18T21:05:00.000-07:00

Tonight I slogged through a 3 hour wait to hear Barack Obama address the crowd gathered in support of him on Independence Mall. The highlights were the lead singers of the bands "Live" and "The Black Eyed Peas" singing some acoustic warmups, Barack speaking, watching the Secret Service guys patrol the rooftops of the surrounding buildings, and the girl in front of me who was so bored waiting before things got started that she began trimming the sod with a pair of scissors:

Low lights included the long wait, the tiny pixel that was what I could see of Barack from across the mall, and the self-congratulatory moment when some crowd-numbing volunteers introduced themselves.

It was, however, quite amazing to hear the iconic, racially transcendent figure of Obama as his voice boomed out across the grassy mall, echoing off the supremely iconic Independence Hall, resonating with the spirits of Franklin, Jefferson, and Adams. While Obama seemed tired and a little flat, he still managed to inspire the crowd and rekindle some of the Hope that has been drained lately from his campaign.

Among the lines he's patented into his stump speech (Are you fired up? Ready to go?), Obama did speak about declaring independence from the tyranny of the past 8 years, the social injustices, the disregard for our environment, the needless war, the unfair advantage given to the rich, and the burdens created for the middle class. All very general themes, but well-spoken as usual.

I left the periphery of the rally by walking past the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, and then on through Washington Square Park. I stopped by the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, who symbolically represents the thousands of revolutionary war soldiers who are buried within the park in unmarked graves beneath running puppies and Sycamore trees. Above the tomb and always-lit torch is a statue of Washington himself and an inscription which reads: "FREEDOM IS A LIGHT FOR WHICH MANY MEN HAVE DIED IN DARKNESS."

And that's why I'll still vote for Obama.

Hope and Bitterness in Pennsylvania

2008-04-12T11:47:00.000-07:00

At Drexel yesterday, I stood in line for an hour, rsvp in hand, waiting to get a glimpse of Hillary in person. Between fending off volunteers pushing me to commit to vote for Hillary, I recalled the last time I stood in line to see a Clinton. Then a young high school newspaper editor with nothing but hope for the future, I was enthralled when the President came to my hometown to announce Americorps.

I’m a little older, wiser, and, unfortunately, slightly more bitter than those days. I also have a job, for which I eventually had to leave the line. A partially-committed Obama supporter, I had hoped to measure Hillary against my youthful memory of “presidential” and “inspiring.” Later that night, I watched the news to see what I had missed.

Surprisingly, “bitter” was major talking point. Hillary spent time discussing the Huffington Post story about Obama’s take on Pennsylvania, summarized here.

Hillary Clinton: "It's being reported that my opponent said that the people of Pennsylvania who faced hard times are bitter. Well, that's not my experience. As I travel around Pennsylvania, I meet people who are resilient, who are optimistic, who are positive, who are rolling up their sleeves. They're working hard every day for a better future for themselves and their children. Pennsylvanians don't need a president who looks down on them.

Let's be honest. We should acknowledge the many people who are out there trying hard to reach the American dream or guide us closer to the idealistic vision the Framer's had. Yet, we all know people who would rather have blind faith in some issue or ideology that provides an easy answer for their situation. We all know people who would rather bury their heads about the political system because they do not want to have to take responsibility for the actions of the government they elected - perhaps without proper introspection and circumspection. We know people who are aware of the issues and have opted out of the political system entirely. We also know bitter people who have given up on trying to change their lives because they feel, perhaps at times correctly, that they lack the power to alter anything substantially. At times, we've all been those people.

As a Philadelphian originally from New Jersey, with family in rural central PA (and many other rural parts of the country), I can say that I know many people like Barack Obama described. I am related to some of them and they don't all live in a rust belt or decaying rural area. Some of them have been blessed with education and privilege and live in states thought of as "elitist” and “liberal.” I also know that I met some Spaniards (who were on vacation) while I was waiting on line that had more interest and concern about our government and the upcoming election than many of the people I know.

Perhaps it's time that even the people who would rather listen to Fox "News" and company, even those who believe the stories told to them by Bush and Cheney (and sometimes the Clintons), and even those who think America always does the right thing - perhaps it's time that they have a president who doesn't retract unpopular sentiments and stands by the truth.

If you recall, sentiments similar to Obama's have been vocalized in prior campaigns. Howard Dean:

I want people with Confederate flags on their trucks to put down those flags and vote Democratic — because the need for quality health care, jobs and a good education knows no racial boundaries. We have working white families in the south voting for tax cuts for the richest 1% while their children remain with no health care. The dividing of working people by race has been a cornerstone of Republican politics for the last three decades — starting with Richard Nixon. ... The only way we're going to beat George Bush is if southern white working families and African-American working families come together under the Democratic tent, as they did under FDR.

While maybe this could have been stated more tactfully and without the stereotypes and wide generalizations, it is often acknowledged that portions of our population vote against their economic interest because of the odd alliance between the libertarians, Christian conservatives, and free-marketers within the Republican party. Perhaps this time, if we allow our discourse to be elevated and engage these issues with the sophistication that we are all capable of when we commit with the proper concern and concentration, then maybe we will be able to raise the real wages of working people for the first time since the 70's, fix health care, and leave our youth a bright future without leaving our elders bereft.

Let's require the next President to be the kind of person who doesn't always say that the state of our union is strong, but does lead a path to how it can be. The kind of person who can offer an apology to the nations where our ill thought-out interventions have caused pain and tragedy for countless individuals and then can rally the world behind the role model we can be when we are at our best. A person who believes that our freedom as a nation is meaningless if we allow fear to strip freedom from individuals. Because we know that a real leader, unafraid to speak the truth and challenge us, would have given different speeches and taken different actions after many pivotal points over the past several decades - most recently after Katrina, during the current financial crisis, and on September 12th. And because we know that if we had done so previously, we and the rest of the world would have been better off.

The Dream Garden

2008-04-10T16:39:00.000-07:00

One of the greatest works of art in Philadelphia can be found inside the Curtis Publishing Building. I found it by chance one day as I stumbled around looking for a testing center within the building.

Entitled "The Dream Garden," it is a mosaic-style mural made of over 100,000 hand-blown pieces of glass in over 260 color tones.

Based on a painting originally created by artist and Philadelphia native Maxfield Parrish, the mosaic project was not without controversy, skeptics, and disappointments.

Between the lines of Parrish’s correspondence however, can be detected a sense of supreme disappointment in the mosaic’s color. Despite Tiffany having used 260 different shades of colored tesserae, carefully transcribed from Parrish’s original painting, The Dream Garden mosaic did not achieve the visual illusion that the painter had wanted to convey.

Nonetheless, the artwork stands as a quiet, understated monument to tranquility. The experience of "finding" it for the first time as it exists, tucked amid the busy streets around Washington Square, nearly forgotten, is perhaps the most magical part of the mural.

The composition of The Dream Garden was, in fact, inspired by a real garden that Parrish had recreated at his summer home, The Oaks, in the artists’ colony of Cornish, New Hampshire. There, Parrish envisioned the creation of fantastical spaces where a visitor would chance upon places of tremendous beauty and solitude, improved by careful placement of foliage and flowers, large classical urns and vases, reflecting pools and fountains, walkways and steps. During a visit to The Oaks, Parrish told Bok that what he had in his “mind’s eye” was a dream garden—a passionate disclosure that Bok orchestrated into an artificial reality.

My First Encounter with Obama's Campaign in Philadelphia

2008-04-03T16:18:00.000-07:00

I walked downtown today to check out the central Philly headquarters for Barack Obama's campaign. It's on 15th and Sansom Street in a little building currently looking for more permanent tenants, but I would guess the landlords are thrilled to house quite possibly the next president of the United States.

I walked in and was quickly directed upstairs to the main hive of activity - a large, open floor spontaneously divided into small groups laboring around tables. Some were focusing on college kids, others voter registration, data entry, and even Chinatown turnout. The air was crackling with the electricity of hope, and pretty much anyone I engaged was excited to talk politics.

A middle-aged white guy was playing quarterback and asked me how he might direct me, based on my abilities to help and my intentions. "Actually, I just came to scope the place out and maybe pick up an Obama sign," I said. "I also run a small blog and thought I might take a few pictures?" Little did he know that my nascent blog audience is an astounding 3 people.

"Sure, have a look around. You can have one of these signs for your window. If you'd like to donate to the campaign please feel free."

So I coughed up $5. Damn it. That was supposed to go towards a burrito at El Fuego.

I wandered around the different tables, amazed at the industry of all these people scurrying around, tapping on laptops, brainstorming, manning phone banks, and chowing down on pork sandwiches and Cheesesteaks (that's right, with a capital "C").

"Somebody donated all this food!" a middle aged black woman exclaimed to me as I stood awkwardly. "Look at all these sandwiches!"

I looked. I began to salivate. I decided that it would be really crass to start chowing down. So instead I signed up to volunteer maybe next week.

It was time to leave. Any more walking around without a task among such passionate devotees would start to draw negative attention, and people might mistake me for a McCain or Hillary mole. I took a quick movie on my camera, grabbed my Obama sign for the front window of my apartment, and left, impressed with how this seemingly headless organism was organizing itself out of thin air.

Toting my Obama sign through the city, casually but with newfound zest, I ducked into a small store to pick up some tasty food. When I took my things to the counter the cashier, an African-American grandmother with large gold hoop earrings, immediately remarked, "Alright! Go Obama!"

Sensing my moment, I replied, "Just checked out his headquarters on 15th and Sansom. I figured I'd give him free advertising from my window with this sign."

The cashier clapped her hands and then shook mine. "Ten percent off for you today, sir!" she said and I watched my bill go down $1.72 with a single keystroke. She looked around the store surreptitiously and then implored me, "Don't tell my manager. He's a Clinton supporter."

"Thank you," I smiled. It was the nicest connection I've had to another Philadelphian in some time.

As I walked home, still smiling, I thought of all the disparate people coming together under the banner of one man and all he represents - change, hope, intelligence. I thought of the massive pyramid of volunteers that supports and lifts men like him up. The particular structure I glimpsed today spans the 50 States, and when seen from a distance must echo the very symbolism of the mighty Egyptian pyramids themselves, which represent the descending rays of the sun.

How do such men stand before the crowds? How do they debate each other without trembling at the knees, or worse yet, succumb to the corrupting influence of ego? I suppose the truly great ones simply let go. They let go of themselves and become transcendental, evanescent voices of something greater. Liberty. Freedom. Justice. Equality. Enlightenment.

May these principles find a voice again.

It was a good trip downtown, even without that burrito.

The New Economy

2008-04-03T15:11:00.000-07:00

(this is the first in a series of words scribbled on napkins)

Standing in line
for corporate coffee
the diminutive chatty lady
says:
my son the bio major
lost his job at J & J.

I'm dumping sugar granules
into water flavored with dried mint
as the sign reads:
Now Hiring at Starbucks.

Mural Art on 15th and Waverly Street

2008-03-30T17:31:00.000-07:00

Entitled "The Death of Venus," this mural has created quite a stir. Located in the downtown area, adjacent to a neighborhood with many LGBT people, the mural was painted by Dee Rosado (formerly Wesley Chin) and depicts both several glamorous women in stages of death and rebirth, and the transgendered artist's personal transformation into a woman.

Here it is, in three segments:

Some in the city have not been happy, but as of today, as I walked past the mural and noticed it for the first time, it still stands. Unfortunately it bears some graffiti on the artwork, which somehow most murals seem to escape. The most fun part of the mural is perhaps the black-clad figure with the real life black electrical cord coming out of her mouth, an artist's creative adaptation to the limitations of the "canvas."

Read more about the controversial work in this Philly Weekly archive, and there's certainly more via Google. Many parts of the city are beautifully festooned with murals, part of the greater Mural Arts Program.

A Lamentation for the Philadelphia Phillies

2008-03-28T20:11:00.000-07:00

When I was 15 years-old I used to watch the Phillies on a small television with rabbit ear antennae. The television was dragged outside to the backyard patio, and it glowed softly under the stars. There were hot summer nights in August, with the leathery lilt of Harry Kalas rising above the crickets. My parents might have been eating crabs together, their slow and methodical fingerings echoing the subtler fine points of the game on television. The crack of a well-timed bat and the break of another blue claw, the hiss of the fastball and the slurp of white meat from the shell.

And then Comcast took over the rights to the Phillies broadcasts. No more public access to the civic sporting life of Philadelphia without purchasing Comcast cable, which was more expensive than 3 bushels of crabs. Even if you had cable for your television, you could no longer drag the tv outside. Another soulful aspect of my experience of summer baseball, killed.

And here it is, 2008, and I am a grown man. I remain selectively Amish in that I refuse to purchase Comcast cable. I will not submit to the towering Lord who hijacked the Philadelphia Phillies games from the common man’s channel 29, 57, or 17. I will not bow down to the behemoth who tethered the free night airways to the costly cable cord. Even the Veterans have lost a war to Lincoln Financial and Citizens (not citizen’s, or citizens’) Bank.

Instead I will eat my own crabs, and catch the box scores as they feed the cynical appetite of my fantasy baseball team on my wireless laptop, dragged out under the vanishing stars of my city deck.

Oh, and good luck to the 2008 Phils.

Philadelphia Farmers Markets

2008-03-28T18:27:00.000-07:00

One of the inconvenient parts of living in the city is the dearth of farmland, open space, and rich earth. But Philly is surrounded by some great farmlands that have not yet succumbed to the Toll Brothers and suburban sprawl. From Lancaster to Hammonton - many farms are still hanging in there, and shoppers are becoming aware of the benefits of organic farming and the importance of supporting locally grown food. To this end, Philadelphia has established an excellent network of Farmers' Markets.

To find all of the markets you have to go to several sources. Farm to City sponsors about 12, The Food Trust sponsors a few more:

Urban market places are as old as civilization and played an important role in the formation of cities and the civic life of their citizens. Today, outdoor seasonal farmers' markets reflect these origins by providing a civilized and democratic gathering place for people to meet and purchase agricultural products from the region. More and more families and culinary professionals realize the importance of locally grown food for the health of their family members and customers, for the survival of family farms, for the preservation of farmland and open space, and for the security of the region's food supply. For these reasons, more and more families are shopping at farmers' markets.

Two of these operate all year round, including the Fitler Square market which I've been frequenting for cold weather, seasonal foods like root vegetables, breads, cheeses, and free range meats.

As Spring approaches, followed by the fecundity of Summer and Fall harvests, a burst of open air markets will be serving fruits, greens, vegetables, heirloom produce, meats, breads and dairy. One of the best is the excellent market in Headhouse Square.

Buying food at the Farmers' markets is often more expensive, but in coughing up a few extra dollars you are supporting local farms, sustainable agriculture, and limiting greenhouse production/transportation costs, farmland attrition, and even calories. The agribusinesses that feed our country have leached our foods of precious nutrients and trace minerals through mass production techniques, selection of produce varieties with good durability instead of nutritiousness, and highly chemical fertilization. Michael Pollan, in his book In Defense of Food, states that the average apple consumed in 2008 contains 1/3 the micronutrients of the average apple consumed just a century ago. Or something close to that.

What better way to honor the food we eat than to reestablish some earthy and humanistic connection to its source?

One Liberty Place Viewed from Rittenhouse Square, Winter 2006

2008-03-23T09:46:00.000-07:00

New World-Class Skyscraper Coming to Philly

2008-03-18T09:36:00.001-07:00

I heard about this on NPR on the ride into work. Philadelphia is planning a supertall skyscraper, the American Commerce Center, larger than the Sears Tower or the Empire State Building. Not only is this a demonstration of the growing confidence Philly has in herself, but it will also be a young, responsible concept in architecture. According to Philly.com:

The American Commerce Center would be constructed with a U.S. Green Building Council LEED Gold Certification in mind.

A "green building" is one that increases the efficiency with which it uses resources - energy, water and materials, and which reduces its impact on human health and the environment.

After the Chicago Spire and the Freedom Tower, it would be the 3rd-tallest building in the United States. Plans include office and retail space, an 8-screen movie theater, a 26 story hotel, and a garden on top. PhillySkyline has a great post up with more graphics and details.

The proposed architects also have Philadelphia roots:

The architect is Kohn Pedersen Fox, which designed the US Airways terminal at Philadelphia International Airport, Huntsman Hall, for the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, Mellon Bank Center, Two Logan Square, One Logan Square and the Four Seasons Hotel.

Gene Kohn, one of the partners, is a Philadelphian. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in the '50s and once worked for prominent Philadelphia architect Vincent Kling.

That's what I'm talking about, Philly. Send up a great flowering shoot, announce that we are ready for the brotherly love and respect due this town. We're not barricading off Independence Hall anymore, not hiding our proud Liberty Bell in some bunker as once proposed, not aspiring to low-level office sprawl. We're standing up straight. Finally.

Frida Kahlo Exhibit in Philadelphia

2008-03-15T10:24:00.000-07:00

I recently visited the Frida Kahlo exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and would highly recommend it. I am no art critic, but…

My preconceptions of Frida were mostly formed by the movie Frida, in which the controversial artist was portrayed by Salma Hayek. I will admit that initially I was not that excited to see the paintings of an artist I had formerly thought of as quite self-obsessed, and perhaps riding on the coattails of her famous husband Diego Rivera.

But after spending an afternoon gazing upon the often beautiful and horrific works that Kahlo painted during her lifetime, I was left with a new sense of respect for her as an artist. I think in some ways she was greater than Rivera. The good folks at fallon and rosof's artblog sum up the experience of Kahlo's talent very well in this week's article in Philadelphia Weekly.

For the novice like me, however, the dominance of her uber-present “unibrow” is perhaps the most shocking impression I had of her art on a concrete, 3rd-grade level. But in seeing the candid photos of her that are on display, some for the first time ever, I was struck by how classically “beautiful” a pair of tweezers would have made her. It is the exaggeration of her flaws, juxtaposed with her otherwise attractive femininity, that captures the eye in her self-portraits.

Also on display are several works inspired by great tragedy and betrayal in her life, including paintings depicting her miscarriage and Rivera's multiple infidelities. She also suffered from a leg damaged by polio, which perhaps also deformed her pelvis and contributed to her miscarriage. She was often in excruciating pain from spinal problems. There is a photograph of her in some kind of primitive traction device for her back, which would serve as a good addition to the Mutter Museum as a bizarre relic of medical practice. Not that all good art has to depict self-loathing or personal suffering, or that I need to feel sorry for someone to respect them, but rather she did achieve a lasting, provocative, and new look at the human condition by delving into her own.

It is hard to separate her art from her relationship with Rivera. It was often a source of complex inspiration, drawn from equal parts passion, love, jealousy, and betrayal. Her left-of-center politics also informed much of her art, as seen in several paintings critical of capitalism and her time in NYC. She had a love affair with leftist Russian Leon Trotsky while he was in exile in Mexico later in his life. One of the hidden pearls in the candid photo collection is a shot of Diego Rivera meeting the legendary Marion Anderson.

But her art is haunting. She has made an icon of herself. It’s as if each painting demands you see her as she saw herself in the fleeting moments that constitute a life. She has immortalized herself in those strokes of brilliant color, a consciousness and a personality too unbridled and passionate to be contained in one lifetime.

And so here she lands, in Philadelphia, for a while. Go see her.

The Top 50 Bars in Philadelphia

2008-03-14T07:45:00.000-07:00

Philly Weekly has published a ranking of the top 50 bars in Philly, as judged by a panel of staff writers. The timing is excellent, as Philadelphia is also in the midst of of its fledgling Philly Beer Week, a celebration of the growing respect the city is attaining for it's beer culture.

From the website:

What makes Philly the best beer-drinking city in America?

Tradition. We've been crafting it for more than 300 years, since the days of William Penn. Our forefathers wrote the Declaration of Independence in colonial taverns. We brewed America's first lager. We practically invented porter. We were already famous for beer when Milwaukee was a cow pasture.

Diversity. While most American craft breweries focus on regional interpretations of one or two styles of ale, Philly-area brewers produce more varieties of beer than any other region in America. Everything from bock and pilsner to extreme beer and wild ale is made within 50 miles of City Hall.

Neighborhoods. Instead of plastic pubs in non-descript shopping centers, Philadelphia’s taverns are the real thing. Good beer is served in old-time corner bars and newly rehabbed saloons in the very neighborhoods in which people live. Beer is not some fad; it is a social lubricant of our daily life.

The People. Philadelphia is known around the world for its savvy beer-drinkers. Many of the best imported German lagers and Belgian ales are shipped first to Philadelphia, while the rest of the country has to be satisfied with meager leftovers. Meanwhile, every American microbrewery either sends its kegs to Philadelphia, or wishes it could.

The Choices. There are more than 400 great places to grab a great beer in the city and near suburbs.

The Philadelphia Daily News also has a report on why Philly ranks among the best in the world in terms of beer drinking respect.

For a city that has been thirsty for a professional sports championship for over 30 years, Philly deserves a world class beer scene.

Hmmm... perhaps the connection is not pure coincidence?